He may be worth $250 million, but Senate candidate Mitt Romney is just like the rest of us… He’d rather eat a hot dog than a steak

I know, given all of the other shit happening in the world right now, it probably doesn’t warrant a mention, but I just love the fact that, in an attempt to connect with the average Utah voter, Mitt Romney, one of the richest men in America, and the former head of the evil vulture capital entity Bain Capital, went on the record yesterday about his disdain for steak and the passion for inexpensive, processed meat products that drives him. It’s almost as funny as when Mercedes Schlapp tweeted from her limousine a few days ago about the threat posed by liberal “elites”.

I wonder if Romney really thinks that regular people consciously choose hot dogs over steaks, like it’s a choice that’s not primarily dictated by finances… Maybe I’m projecting, but I can’t imagine anyone reading this interview with Romeny and thinking, “Now there’s a guy like me, a guy who would spit out a mouthful of steak if he caught of whiff of a gas station hot dog in the distance.”

My favorite part is how, after saying that he loves hotdogs the best, he jumps in to add the qualifier – “My second favorite meat is hamburger” – like it had just occurred to him that he’d better not completely commit to the hot dog, just in case. I can almost hear his inner dialogue… “Favorite meat? Say hotdog. OK, I’m going to say hotdog. ‘Hotdog.’ Fuck, I think I’ve read that they don’t sell hotdogs at McDonalds. Fuck. OK, I should say that I also like fried ground beef patties. Should I say that I love them just the same as hot dogs, or should I rank them? What would a regular American do? Fuck. And what are they called? They’re round. I can picture them. HAMBURGER! OK, I’ve got this. ‘My second favorite meat is hamburger.’ Oh, and then I should say I like steak too, as there are photos of me eating steak, but I’ll say I don’t like it as much. OK, I’m crushing this… Hopefully they’ll also as me about cheese, so I can mention how much better Velveeta is than Roquefort.

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36 Comments

  1. Sad
    Posted May 5, 2018 at 9:19 am | Permalink

    No Bougie crap for Mitt!

  2. Posted May 5, 2018 at 9:22 am | Permalink

    I also love the idea that he’s making that face in the photo with Trump not because he was begging the man who’d so insulted him for the job of Secretary of State, but because he couldn’t get a hotdog.

  3. Posted May 5, 2018 at 9:23 am | Permalink

    Speaking of campaign slogans, I also like this one.

  4. Lynne
    Posted May 5, 2018 at 10:49 am | Permalink

    It is interesting how related to identity people’s food choices are.

    There are people who prefer hotdogs to steaks for reasons other than financial. There are people who think of themselves as hotdog (or hamburger as Romney apparently realized) people and not steak people or organic vegetable people or whatever. Usually politicians are more subtle about it and just make sure they are seen eating the food of lower class Americans. Some even actually seem to prefer the cuisine of the common man as in the case of Trump. But this is the first time I have heard a politician take a favorite meat position out loud.

  5. Iron lung
    Posted May 5, 2018 at 1:27 pm | Permalink

    Trumps and Romney’s food choice are awful. Roney is just slumming. Trump’s food choices just tell you he has the mind of an 11 year old.

  6. Posted May 5, 2018 at 2:53 pm | Permalink

    It’s so condescending and transparent. I suppose it may be worth it, though, if he had to keep eating hot dogs for the rest of his political career.

  7. Jen
    Posted May 5, 2018 at 3:09 pm | Permalink

    It reminds me of Stephen Harper and Netflix i.e. what an Alien or Robot might say if they were trying to fit in amongst us common humanfolk.

    “My favorite meat”… Come on. That’s obviously a glitch in the programming.

    https://twitter.com/jenelaina/status/992808316337360896

  8. Jean Henry
    Posted May 5, 2018 at 5:36 pm | Permalink

    Reminded me of the Kerry comment, “Who among us does not love Nascar?” Then I looked it up and Maureen Dowd made it up as parody and it persists as fake news to this day.

    I guess this is real, but it’s not new. Bill Clinton ate a lot of fast food and people loved him for it. This is standard populist messaging. I know a fair number of wealthy people whose food tastes are cheap, fast, fatty and processed. Most Americans eat like that. We love fat, salt, sugar, garlic and crunch. Almost any trendy American food, even those passing as healthy contain lots of at least three of those elements. I remember when I waitressed upscale in San Francisco, a ‘foodie’ town supposedly, and everyone was crazy for ceasar salads. You had to have them on the menu. Fat, salt garlic, crunch. They thought it was healthy. Might as well eat a burger.
    Just because politicians eat the same food as poor people doesn’t mean they are going to do shit for them, but voters are easily fooled by such theatrics. And rich people are easily fooled into thinking unhealthy food that tastes good is fancy and healthy. A lot of the food business, like politics, is theatrics.
    Most Americans say that fast food is unhealthy and they prefer not to eat it, but 59% still eat fast food at least once a week. Almost 60%. Once a week. We are impulse consumers in food and politics. We dont really think things through, but we like to pretend we do. I’ve been watching this food obsession/unhealthy consumption thing go on for 30 years now. Maybe we should just stop talking about what we eat and what we think that says about us.

  9. Jcp2
    Posted May 6, 2018 at 10:01 am | Permalink

    It’s amazing what one can find out with a couple of minutes of free time. Romney and Ryan’s diets, circa 2012.

    http://observer.com/2012/09/medical-records/

  10. stupid hick
    Posted May 6, 2018 at 6:08 pm | Permalink

    For many, it’s not about preferred cuisine, it’s not about a healthy diet, it’s what you can afford. Hotdogs represent cheap, barely perishible, and easy to prepare calories. $1.50 will buy you an 8 pack (not the quality Jean or Mark would ever consider buying). Add an extra $1 for a can of baked beans or bag of 8 cheap buns. Dress it up with free ketchup and mustard packets which are easy to find if you keep your eyes open at food courts, gas stations, etc. That said, Mitt Romney is a posturing elitist douchebag, but he is at least 20 times better than Trump.

  11. Jean Henry
    Posted May 6, 2018 at 8:51 pm | Permalink

    I love hot dogs, but I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve purchased them for home consumption. I usually grab them on the street or at home depot. I really like Chicago dogs. We sold a lot of them at my old business. They are often bad for you containing lots of nitrates, red food dyes, etc, but they don’t have to be. I like anything that uses up the spare parts of the meat for something other than dog food. Blood sausage is my favorite. I also make a years supply of scrapple every winter from a pigs head ($10) and trotters ($12) and a bag of cornmeal. I didn’t learn to make these savory food items from rich people. I learned to make rich people food by serving it to them in restaurants. Generally speaking, rich people don’t make their own food. Maybe you didn’t know that.I like things at all ends of the spectrum. I don’t have a lot of money so I don’t eat fancy people food often. I like to cook and eat food that I learned how to make from people I care about. These are my choices. I usually like talking about the food people like to eat and why, but the atmosphere here is toxic with fear and judgment.

    This post reminds me of when Hillary Clinton wore a $3000 suit to a campaign speech and all the white liberals in A2 were up in arms. A $3000 suit, what an insult. And then some actual poor people weighed in and said if they were rich and running for president they’d by a $3000 suit too but a better one… Virtue signaling by white liberals is embarrassing. I’m sure Romney actually likes hot dogs. And someone told him that makes him relatable. Who cares?

  12. Iron Lung 2
    Posted May 6, 2018 at 10:05 pm | Permalink

    I grew up on terrible food like hot dogs. The mere sight of them makes me nauseous.

    Contrary to popular belief, people who leave the trailer park don’t get nostalgic for it.

    But to be clear, he’s making an appeal to old people, not poor people.

  13. Lynne
    Posted May 6, 2018 at 10:36 pm | Permalink

    I get nostalgic for the natural casing Kowalski hot dogs my grandmother used to feed me. I get nostalgic for the super cheap kind with wonder bread for buns my mother would feed me sometimes. I get nostalgic for Lafayette coney dogs because of the good times I had there after ditching school to go out to lunch. I expect that poor kids from loving homes in the trailer park might have fond memories to associate with hot dogs. (I am sorry that wasnt your experience, IL)

    I think it does make Mitt Romney more approachable even if often on a below the surface emotional level. Food is a very personal thing. Hot dogs are so ubiquitous in our culture that you probably would find that most people like and have nostalgia for hot dogs. young people. old people. liberals. meat eaters. vegans (oh yes, they make vegan hot dogs). So while I find it absurd to see a politician talk about a favorite meat, I expect that Mitt probably does enjoy a hot dog from time to time.

  14. Lynne
    Posted May 6, 2018 at 10:38 pm | Permalink

    I usually like talking about the food people like to eat and why, but the atmosphere here is toxic with fear and judgment.

    Has anyone here been critical of any of your food choices?

  15. Iron lung
    Posted May 7, 2018 at 5:15 am | Permalink

    The trailer park was a hellhole filled with domestic abuse, drugs, alcoholism and child neglect.

    The food, which was more apprpriate as animal feed than for human sustenance, was the least of its problems.

    Being poor in America sucks. Theres nothing good about it.

    Poor people eat hotdogs because theres an entire business model that encourages them to do so that Romney is a part of.

    Regardless, Romney is making an appeal to old people, not the trailer park.

  16. Sad
    Posted May 7, 2018 at 7:16 am | Permalink

    There was some guy around Ann Arbor and Detroit recently doing some dinner thing in a truck or whatever. The interesting thing was you got charged by your race and class, income sex etc. it was interesting. I’ve often thought we should all have to disclose that information everywhere.But what do I know?

    I like how sometimes this blogs comment section turns into a food blog. I like how funny it’s been the past couple days. This thing between these two women is really over the top. Sisterhood and all. I hope Robert Mueller will get to the bottom of it when he finishes with Trump.

  17. stupid hick
    Posted May 7, 2018 at 7:22 am | Permalink

    Does it undercut my previous comment if admit I no longer buy hotdogs at any price for home use, but sometimes indulge in a Le Dog hotdog with chili and cheese, to accompany their lobster bisque? Romney style.

  18. Sad
    Posted May 7, 2018 at 7:28 am | Permalink

    Inconsistency in blog personas is encouraged. That’s the great thing about being here and the sad thing about all the fighting. Only MM needs to be perfect. The rest of us are free!

  19. Jean Henry
    Posted May 7, 2018 at 7:51 am | Permalink

    Stupid Hick — le dog lobster bisque is made with canned stock and some shells and dried spices and a LOT of whole cream. It may or may not be real lobster. Put whole cream in anything and Americans will eat it up. ( Goes back to the fat, garlic, sugar, crunch appeal I pointed up on the other thread) You’re not better off health wise with that soup than a Big Mac.
    That’s a statement of fact not judgment, FYI. You can choose to feel shame or not about it.

    Ps Lynne— by ‘toxic atmosphere’ I was not pointing to being judged but that others can’t discuss food critically or in any informed way without feeling so….
    If anything me was aggressively shaming anyone, it was you.

    Sad— feminism is not about girl power solidarity. That’s just a way to sell soap and T-shirts now. Feminism seeks equity. It does not require women to agree. Quite the opposite.

  20. Jean Henry
    Posted May 7, 2018 at 7:57 am | Permalink

    Sorry badly written with typos as per usual:
    “Ps Lynne— by ‘toxic atmosphere’ I was not pointing to being judged on my food choices, but that others can’t discuss food critically or in any informed way without someone else here feeling so….
    If anyone was aggressively shaming anyone, it was you.”

    Last correction: I’m interested in hearing about other people’s food choices and histories not articulating my own. Food, as a subject, still interests me. It’s telling always.

  21. Iron Lung 2
    Posted May 7, 2018 at 8:12 am | Permalink

    “You’re not better off health wise with that soup than a Big Mac.”

    I remember at one point that Mark was all angry about some product from KFC, which turned out to have less calories and fat than even one of the salads from McD’s. The implication was that this product was a travesty to human health, but the reality is that even so-called “healthy foods” are lathered in cream, sugar and salt and aren’t at all good for you.

    I often remark about how much Americans drink now, and how, despite all of the talk about how awful the diets of the poor are (they are), middle class Americans are now drinking at unprecedented levels, though dressing it up in a veneer of “craft beer” and “craft whiskey.” No doubt, we’ll see a lot of heart disease and cancer in the coming decades.

  22. Iron Lung 2
    Posted May 7, 2018 at 8:13 am | Permalink

    Not to mention all of the stupid consumption of chicken wings, which is probably as bad or even worse than hot dogs.

  23. stupid hick
    Posted May 7, 2018 at 8:45 am | Permalink

    Thanks Jean, and you never have to hold back on me in this forum. I’m comfortable in my own skin, and I appreciate your insight about food. But what’s the point of eating lobster bisque that’s not drowning in cream? The stupid CDC and NIH are trying to tell me I’m borderline obese, but I don’t buy it. They also think I drink too much, and don’t get enough exercise. Well, ok, I guess they’re probably right about some things.

  24. stupid hick
    Posted May 7, 2018 at 8:49 am | Permalink

    I’ll admit I don’t get why chicken wings are so popular. So much so the price of raw wings is sometimes more expensive than better parts.

  25. Iron Lung 2
    Posted May 7, 2018 at 8:59 am | Permalink

    I always thought wings were about the sauces. Couldn’t you just add the sauce to anything?

    Why do wings matter?

  26. Lynne
    Posted May 7, 2018 at 10:06 am | Permalink

    Re Ps Lynne— by ‘toxic atmosphere’ I was not pointing to being judged but that others can’t discuss food critically or in any informed way without feeling so….
    If anything me was aggressively shaming anyone, it was you.

    Yes, I get it that it bothers you that you can’t bully people about their food choices without them calling you out for your prejudice. I can’t say that I am sympathetic.

  27. Jean Henry
    Posted May 7, 2018 at 11:58 am | Permalink

    Please demonstrate where I bullied anyone about their food choices, Lynne. Or shut the fuck up.

  28. Jcp2
    Posted May 7, 2018 at 3:43 pm | Permalink

    I think wings are popular not because of the wings themselves in a vacuum, but because of the association of wings with an informal gathering of friends talking about pleasurable topics outside of work. A Ratatouille moment, so to speak.

  29. Jean Henry
    Posted May 7, 2018 at 4:35 pm | Permalink

    Wings are a fatty vehicle for Sauce (garlic, sugar, salt) and crunch—more fat.
    Someone in the food business was very clever and took a cheap chicken part that was usually fed to dogs and figured out how to Sell it as bar food. Someone else figured out how to mass market it to the vast frozen food drop and fry restaurant sector. So much money was made! Now wings are not so cheap. Same with thighs. Bummer for those of us who like to eat the cheap cuts.

    The whole pasta trend in the 80’s, caesars in the 90’s— all a way to get people to move away from steaks and seafood, which have a much higher cost of goods and a much lower profit margin. I worked at a fancy joint in sf that made about 10% profit off of their expensive steaks and about 50% profit off their much lower price pasta dishes. The only thing more profitable is cocktails. They pushed pasta and cocktails hard.

  30. Iron Lung 2
    Posted May 7, 2018 at 4:55 pm | Permalink

    Yes, perhaps, though I wish that the menu included things like deep fried chicken cartilage and raw horse meat.

  31. Iron Lung 2
    Posted May 7, 2018 at 4:56 pm | Permalink

    I was responding the Mr. jcp2.

  32. Iron Lung 2
    Posted May 7, 2018 at 5:00 pm | Permalink

    Actually, in the South, wings have long been a nice snack, just as in all of Africa and Asia.

    It was only affluent white people in the US who shrugged them off.

  33. Jean Henry
    Posted May 7, 2018 at 5:33 pm | Permalink

    My understanding IL was that wings were not included with fried chicken down South, but removed and served as a cheaper side.

    I didn’t mean to suggest that there was no tradition of eating wings. It’s just as in many food trends, someone got the smart idea to market a cheap traditional food hard. Wings were not gussied up too much by targeted for mass popularity. Things like salami and pate and even aged cheese were simply traditional methods of preservation or thrift that became ‘gourmet’ via marketing schemes. Some are deserving of great attention; others not do much. They rarely improve in the process of becoming popular in my opinion. I’m waiting for scrapple to get it’s moment in the sun… Any day now.

  34. Lynne
    Posted May 7, 2018 at 6:29 pm | Permalink

    Please demonstrate where I bullied anyone about their food choices, Lynne. Or shut the fuck up

    I do not accept that I have an obligation to educate you about my oppression in order to be allowed to speak up. While not an example of a criticism of what I eat, it is an example of a criticism of my standing up for myself and not meekly being put in my place. It is an example of someone telling a marginalized person that they must prove that their oppression is real before they can be allowed to talk about it. I have responded often when you have said bigoted fat-shaming things with many explanations about why what you said could be considered bigoted and bullying and I will continue to do so. If that isnt enough for you, that is on you. Just like I will continue to call you out when you are being a hypocrite as I did in the shinola discussion.

  35. Jean Henry
    Posted May 7, 2018 at 10:13 pm | Permalink

    I never suggested for a minute that your oppression is not real. In fact I said multiple times that such bias exists and is prevalent. I simply stated that, in this case, you took personally statements that were not directed at you in anyway and were about a corporation not those who patronize it. I’m sorry if this felt like doubling down on your pain. I’m not interested in that but you keep broningong it up and keep calling others bigots and attempting to shame them. Im sorry you can’t see that.

  36. Jean Henry
    Posted May 7, 2018 at 10:17 pm | Permalink

    I’m ok with being a hypocrite. Maybe that’s the issue for you. You don’t know that we’re all hypocrites. It’s the human condition. It’s impossible to live up to our ideals. There are abundant studies showing just intense the dislocation between peoples idea of themselves morally and their own behavior.

    Go ahead and keep calling me out. I really don’t care.

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